Tensions boiled over at the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja on Tuesday, as rival factions of the party clashed violently, prompting police operatives to fire teargas to disperse supporters and restore order.
The chaos erupted after two opposing groups — one loyal to former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and another aligned with the newly-constituted National Working Committee (NWC) led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN — scheduled parallel meetings at the party’s Wadata Plaza headquarters.
The situation took a dramatic turn when the Wike-backed faction, led by PDP National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, arrived for what they described as a legitimate Board of Trustees (BoT) and National Executive Committee (NEC) session.
Supporters from both sides quickly engaged in verbal exchanges that escalated into physical scuffles. Eyewitnesses reported that cudgels and other objects were brandished as tempers flared.
Police officers on ground struggled to contain the fracas, eventually ordering an evacuation of the premises. As tensions worsened, security operatives deployed teargas canisters to disperse the surging crowd. The sudden blast caused a stampede as party officials, staff, journalists, and supporters fled in panic, with many seen coughing and covering their faces.
Reinforcements were later deployed to the area, helping to restore relative calm. However, the atmosphere remained tense as both camps traded accusations over the cause of the violence.
Tuesday’s incident underscores the deepening crisis within the PDP as internal leadership tussles threaten to destabilize Nigeria’s main opposition party ahead of future political contests.
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